Political parties supporting the initiative settlement that suggested the nomination of Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the post of the presidency, pin hopes on a U.S. mobility that could push the initiative forward, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

“Parties involved in the settlement are betting on a U.S. action next month that could lead to the passing of the initiative,” well informed sources told the daily.

The General Security arrested four Lebanese nationals on suspicion of forming terrorist cells that work in favor of the Islamic State, the National News Agency said on Thursday.

"Within its framework to follow up on the activities of terrorist and sleeper cells, the General Security arrested A.R, M.K., Y.B. and A.G.," it said in a statement.

Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi reiterated the calls on Thursday for the election of a president and for the formation of a new electoral law that respects the national pact and provides parity.

“We reiterate the calls to elect a president as soon as possible, and we urge the political blocs to take the presidential settlement initiative seriously,” said al-Rahi in a pre-Christmas letter.

Hizbullah will continue to support the candidacy of MP Michel Aoun for the post of presidency, despite reports claiming that the party implicitly prefers Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh, the Kuwaiti al-Anba daily reported on Thursday.

“Anyone who believes that Hizbullah's backing of Aoun is only a tactic or an act of courtesy is mistaken,” a March 14 official told the daily on condition of anonymity.

Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb said that a meeting will take place on Wednesday with representatives from the companies tasked to export Lebanon's trash in order to finalize the last touches and pinpoint remarks made by several ministers, As Safir daily reported.

“Several ministers made some remarks about the contract that was signed with the British and Dutch companies. A meeting with the companies' representatives will take place today despite the holiday on the occasion of Prophet Mohammed's birthday in order to pinpoint the remarks,” he told the daily.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam reiterated on Tuesday the efforts to support moderation and to confront the acts of terrorism that are “harming the image of the Islam.”

“We will continue to support moderation and confront terrorism that is tarnishing the image of Islam,” said Salam marking the Prophet's Birthday and after meeting Grand Mufti Abdul Latif Daryan at Dar al-Fatwa.

Thousands of people gathered Monday in the southern Beirut suburb of Ghobeiri for the funeral of high-profile Hizbullah militant Samir al-Quntar, who the group says was killed by an Israeli airstrike near the Syrian capital.

Hizbullah said Quntar, who spent 30 years in an Israeli prison after a deadly operation in northern Israel, was killed Saturday along with eight others in the airstrike on a residential building in Jaramana, close to Damascus.

A cabinet session is scheduled to convene on Monday to tackle the thorny trash management file and the possibility of its exportation, amid reports predicting its failure due to the secrecy engulfing the details of the plan and the cost entailed.

Exporting the trash is the sole item on the cabinet's agenda that will be held at the Grand Serail. Prime Minister Tammam Salam had stressed to his visitors on Sunday that no other items are listed on the agenda in order to avoid political controversies that could hamper the implementation of the plan, al-Mustaqbal daily reported.

At least three rockets were fired Sunday from southern Lebanon into northern Israel, drawing retaliatory fire, several hours after Hizbullah accused Israel of assassinating its top militant Samir al-Quntar in a Syria air raid.

Two Katyusha-type rockets were fired from south Lebanon into Israel on Sunday, a Lebanese security source told AFP, and in Israel the army said rockets had hit the north.

Several of Hizbullah's allies in the region condemned Sunday the assassination of the group's top militant Samir al-Quntar in a raid in Syria.

Syrian Prime Minister Wael Halaqi condemned the attack, saying targeting Quntar was equivalent to "targeting the axis of resistance," referring to Syria and its allies.